Digiquest for Glory: Trial by Fire
by Time Lady
Summary: SEQUEL to Digiquest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero. Now the heroes of Spielburg (Ken, Takeru, Yamato, and Daisuke) travel to the land of Shapeir. What dark forces would want to destroy Shapeir? Can our heroes win?
1. Prologue - Departure and Arrival

Digiquest for Glory: Trial by Fire 

Prologue 

By Time Lady 

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Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or Quest for Glory 

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"Is that all you're taking?" Yamato asked in surprise as Shameen brought forward two large satchels and set them outside the door of what was formerly the Hero's Tale Inn. 

"We Kattamon travel light," returned Shameen. "Our ancestors were nomadic desert dwellers. The less we carry the better." 

"Where are the others?" asked Abdulla. "We must leave by noon." 

"Takeru went to say goodbye to Wizardmon," replied Yamato. "Daisuke is over at the Adventurer's Guild. Ken's somewhere in town, but I'm not sure where." 

--- 

"Think you're ready for a bigger town?" asked the chief thief as he absently tossed a dagger at the bull's eye on the wall. 

Ken leaned against the wall of the Thieves' Guild. "Yeah. Getting to be a bit too much competition in this small town." 

"Shapeir's not easy pickings. The law there is a lot tougher. There really isn't any organized guild like we have here. If you were going to Raseir. . . well, that's another story. Jureimon has a tight grip on all activities. If you ever have to operate out of there, you're going to have to deal with him." 

"Thanks for the advice. I better be heading out before the others start looking for me." 

"Good luck kid." 

--- 

"Oh man, I am so ready for a new challenge!" exclaimed Daisuke. Gennai smiled and continued to polish his sword. 

"I wish I was as young and enthusiastic again. Then I would join you youngsters on your trip." 

"Do you know what kinds of monsters we're going to face?" 

"I do not. Definitely there will be humans, but there will be creatures as well. The first thing you should do is talk to the local guild master. They will know what you will find surrounding Shapeir," advised Gennai. 

"Will do. I'm going to miss this place though." Daisuke looked around the guild. "One thing I won't miss." 

"Oh? What is that?" 

"The snow. Spielburg is way too cold for my tastes." 

"You haven't seen anything," chuckled Gennai. This is warm compared to the middle of the winter. Though from what I hear, you can't get much warmer than the Shapeirian Desert." 

"Cool." 

"No, not really." 

--- 

"Ah yes," said Wizardmon as he sipped his tea. "Shapeir is a land of mystery and much magic." 

"Abdulla told us about the Ifreet and Djinni," returned Takeru. 

"And more. Shapeir and its sister city of Raseir attract both good magic and dark magic. You'll have to be on your toes." Wizardmon reclined back into his chair. "But this will be a good journey for a young magic user like you." 

"If you don't get eaten by something first," quipped Chuumon. 

"Quiet you." The archmage glared at his familiar, then turned back to Takeru. "Shapeir is supposed to have one of the hidden entrances to WIT." 

"WIT?" asked Takeru. 

"The Wizard's Institute of Technocery," explained Wizardmon. "Where a youngster such as yourself goes from being a simple magic user to an official wizard." 

"Kids like you learn to do the hoodoo and voodoo," interjected Chuumon. 

Takeru's eyes lit up at the chance to become an acknowledged wizard. "How do I get in?" he asked eagerly. 

"That I can not tell you," said Wizardmon. "You must use your skills to find the door. One of the pre-requisites." 

"Sort of an entrance exam," added Chuumon. Takeru groaned and Wizardmon rolled his eyes. 

"Chuumon, when is a rat not a rat?" asked Wizardmon, a gleam in his eyes. 

"When it turns into a rat hole?" suggested Chuumon. 

"No. When it's e-rat-icated," returned Wizardmon. 

"Is there a magic shop in Shapeir?" asked Takeru. 

"Yes. It's a rather interesting place. You'll just have to see it for yourself. Let's just say. . . don't judge the shopkeeper there by Sorcerymon." Wizardmon refused to say anything else on the topic. Instead he shifted Takeru's attention to another subject. 

--- 

The sun was high overhead by the time Takeru made it back to town. The others were talking to the Baron and his daughter, who had come to see them off. 

"I wish I could come with you," said Catherine. 

"Child, you've just returned to me a few weeks ago," said Baron von Spielburg. "Are you so ready to rush off?" 

"No Father," said Catherine with a smile. "Perhaps I have become a bit used to more action." 

"There'll probably be plenty of action around here," said Daisuke. "The brigands may be gone, but there's still a few monsters roaming about." 

"Yes. I almost forgot to thank you for showing me where the Goblimon training grounds are located," added Catherine. 

"Catherine, I think we have to talk more about what is expected of a young lady of your position," admonished her father. 

Daisuke and Yamato felt sorry for Catherine. She had been used to being her own person, to living her life freely, and to being a leader. It seemed as if she were headed for some clashes with her father. 

"Well, now that Takeru's here, we're ready to go," interjected Ken. 

"Yes. Abdulla had wanted to leave by noon," added Yamato. 

"I wish you would have chosen to stay longer," said the Baron. "Though our needs aren't as great as they once were, we still have need of heroes." 

"Every land has its need of heroes," said Abdulla. "Though since the avalanche has cleared, more heroes have been trickling in here. Once the pass opened up I was able to receive messages from Shapeir. There are many ill omens occurring." 

"There is also the disappearance of the Emir of Raseir, Shapeir's sister city," added Shameen. "Kattamon are being driven from Raseir. Those Kattamon and humans still in the city live in a state of oppression. The twin cities of Shapeir and Raseir need heroes." 

"We can only hope that sometime in the future you will return to Spielburg," said the Baron. "You are always welcome here." 

"If you can, write," said Catherine. "I would love to hear what adventures you have." 

"Hey Daisuke!" They turned to find Bakumon, the shopkeeper, approaching. "Good thing I caught you. Your order just arrived!" He handed Daisuke a thin packet. 

"Hey cool!" He ripped off the paper. "The second volume of the Famous Adventurers' Correspondence School manual!" 

"Oh no. . . not that thing again. . .," groaned Ken. "That's what got us into this in the first place!" 

"I managed to get the special Shapeir supplement." Daisuke thumbed through the pages quickly. "It even talks about the creatures in the area." 

"Come," said Abdulla. "I do not wish to be flying after sundown." 

Saying their last good-byes to Catherine and Baron von Spielburg, the heroes stepped aboard the carpet with Abdulla and the Kattamon, who sat down cross-legged at the front of the carpet. Abdulla said some words in Arabic. Everyone's eyes widened as the carpet suddenly lifted into the air. 

"GAAAHHH!!!" yelled a very startled Daisuke. Ken and Yamato turned pale. Only Takeru looked truly enthusiastic. 

"This is awesome!" shouted Takeru. He tried to look under the carpet and cast detect magic at the same time 

"Will you sit down?" Yamato pulled Takeru's jerkin to keep his brother from falling over the edge. Cautiously everyone sat down and waved to the people on the ground. Abdulla directed the flying carpet skyward and southward. 

--- 

"I never realized the mountains were so high," said Takeru. 

"Don't mention heights," said Ken, who was still very pale. 

"By ground, traveling the mountains will take many weeks," said Abdulla. "But there is only so much you can fit on a flying carpet. It is good to travel, but not for a merchant. Were I bringing all the goods I had brought to Spielburg, I would have had to go by caravan." 

Suddenly they hit some air turbulence. The carpet lurched. Everyone crouched down to distribute the weight lower. "Oh man," said Daisuke. "We survived Cheetauromon, Shamamon, and brigands and now we're going to die falling from a flying carpet." 

"Easy my friend," said Shameen. "So long as you are not too close to the edges, there is nothing to fear." 

Abdulla soon had the flying carpet under control. "Turbulence is only to be expected when traversing the mountains. Travel will be smoother once we reach the desert. 

Once the carpet cleared the mountains, they found themselves flying over a vast, featureless desert. Abdulla lowered the carpet so it was traveling only about three feet over the sand. As Abdulla had said, the flying over the desert was considerably smoother. Everyone began to relax. The carpet glided over the sands, occasionally lifting up over dunes and boulders. 

To distract himself, Daisuke began flipping through his FACS guide. "Hey, this issue discusses future careers for adventurers. They have a section on fighters, magic users, even thieves. . . hey!" Ken grabbed the guide out of Daisuke's hands. He glanced at the section on thieves, then ripped out the pages. He handed the guide back to Daisuke. "What did you do that for?" said Daisuke, glaring at Ken. 

"You guys don't need these pages." Despite feeling ill, Ken forced a grin. He didn't exactly need the others knowing the secret thieves greeting. That could be disastrous. 

Yamato would have rolled his eyes if he didn't have them closed. Gliding over the sand was making him motion sick. Only Takeru was truly enjoying the trip. Here he was, aboard a magic carpet, on his way to a magic land where he would find the means to be initiated as a wizard. What more could he want? He began talking to Shema and Shameen about Shapeir. 

The carpet angled skyward to avoid a dune. Because of the angle and speed, the carpet shot skyward. Everyone held on tightly. A couple of minutes later Abdulla regained control and brought the flying carpet down to its previous flying height. 

Shema passed around a waterskin. Ken refused, but Shema insisted. "Though we are traveling swiftly, you will become dehydrated from the heat," she said. After forcing down a couple of swigs, Ken passed the waterskin to Yamato. 

A few more particularly large sand dunes caused the flying carpet to angle upwards sharply. Abdulla swiftly resumed their path. "Why don't you go higher to avoid the dunes?" asked Yamato. 

"Traveling at heights for long periods of time is not advisable," returned the merchant. "We were only over the mountains a brief time. We have been traveling over the desert for a few hours." 

"Are we there yet?" asked Daisuke. 

"Soon," said Abdulla. "We should be there just before sunset. 

As they traveled southward, the sun moved across the sky. Again Shema passed the waterskin. "When we arrive, you must be sure to seek the leatherworker and purchase several waterskins," she advised them. "Even within the city, water is a necessity. And outside of the city you will be hard pressed to find water, for there is only the oasis a few scareens from the city." 

"Scareen?" asked Yamato. 

"Distance in Shapeir is measured in scareens," explained Shameen. "Particularly once you are in the desert. You might wish to purchase a compass when you arrive. The desert is a hazardous place." 

As if to punctuate Shameen's words, the carpet tried to maneuver over another dune. This time Abdulla miscalculated. Instead of smoothly following the lines of the sands, the end of the flying carpet clipped the top of the dune. The carpet spun wildly out of control. 

"Oh man, I hope the sand is soft," moaned Daisuke as they went round and round. 

"I must regain control!" shouted Abdulla, who then began yelling commands in Arabic. 

Takeru closed his eyes to shut out the world around him and concentrated. "I don't know if this will work, but it couldn't hurt to try," he thought. The young magic user cast the calm spell. Slowly the carpet ceased spinning and Abdulla was able to steer. 

"Quick thinking," said Ken, who had thrown himself flat on the carpet. "How did you figure it out?" 

"Logically, if it were a person or animal going wild, calm would have settled them down," explained Takeru. "So why not a carpet?" 

"Excellent thinking," said Abdulla. "Had I not been concentrating on steering, I would have suggested it." 

"Ummm. . . right. . ." Takeru tried not to roll his eyes. 

As the sun began to set, a city appeared over the horizon. White stone walls surrounded the stone buildings. Awnings provided spots of color. Some figures moved about the gates. "Shapeir," said Shameen. He took Shema's paw. "We are finally home." 

--- 

In a plaza just inside the city gates, a Kattamon sat playing a strange flute. Another Kattamon called to a passing woman, "Flowers. . . lovely perfumed flowers for your home. . ." 

A short distance away, an Etemon in a blue and white striped and sequined turban and robe handed a package to a man. "You're not going to regret this," said Etemon. "Satisfaction guaranteed or you don't get your money back." 

Etemon's gaze turned towards an elderly man in a red turban and brown robes. "Hey you! How about a nice. . ." He noticed that everyone was looking skyward. "What in the world. . .?" 

A small crowd of Digimon and humans gathered, then moved into a circle. Slowly, cautiously, a strange object drew near. As it moved closer, it appeared to be a carpet. Five humans and two Kattamon sat on top of it. The carpet lowered until it touched the ground. 

"Are we there yet?" asked Daisuke, his eyes closed tightly. 

"We're here," said Takeru. 

"Thank God," muttered Yamato and Ken. Both were motion sick from the tail end of the journey. 

Abdulla stood up and made a grand bow. "My friends, welcome to Shapier!" 

to be continued> 

Author's notes: And so begins the second saga in the Digiquest for Glory series. This is based on the second Quest for Glory game, Trial by Fire. QFG fans, be prepared to throw out some of your character predictions. I'm constantly changing upcoming cast. 

If you want to discuss predictions, pop on around the Digimon Fan Works board at http://pub95.ezboard.com/bdigimon45940   
  
  



	2. Out on the Town

Digiquest for Glory: Trial by Fire  
  
Chapter 1  
  
By Time Lady  
  
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Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or Quest for Glory  
  
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Daisuke yawned and stretched. Sitting up, he realized he was lying on a large cushion, several small cushions strewn around. A small window let in rays of sunlight. With another yawn, he reached for his clothing. "Hey, wait a sec. . ." he thought. Gone were the heavy wool pants and tunic, the knee-high boots, and the heavy cloak. Instead he found loose, light, yet sturdy red pants, a white linen shirt, blue vest, and ankle-high boots. He dressed in the strange clothing. It was considerably lighter than what he previously wore. His chain mail shirt hung on a special rack designed to hold armor. For now, he decided against wearing it and just reached for his sword belt.  
  
Just outside the door he found stairs that led down to a common room. The scent of food reached his nose and made his stomach growl. He spied Takeru, Yamato, and Ken seated on cushions around a low table. Across from them sat Abdulla Doo. Daisuke noticed his comrades were dressed in clothing similarly to his new outfit, except for the colors. Both Yamato and Takeru wore green vests, though Yamato's pants were black and Takeru's blue. Ken's vest and pants were dark gray.  
  
Shameen, who was seated near the doorway, saw Daisuke and stood. "Good morning. If you will be seated, Shema will serve you."  
  
"Thanks." Daisuke made his way to the table. "'Morning," he said to his friends.  
  
"A beautiful morning indeed," returned Abdulla.  
  
"We were just talking to Abdulla about how quickly this inn was set up," said Ken.  
  
"Once the Airdramon courier reached Shema and Shameen's relatives," explained Abdulla, "they used the money sent them to purchase the inn and prepare it. Shema and Shameen then just needed to assume ownership. So long as you are in Shapeir, you will always have a place to stay and fine food. We can never thank you enough for recovering our lost treasures."  
  
"What happened to our clothing?" asked Daisuke.  
  
"I took the liberty of supplying you with new clothing," said Shema as she approached the table with a tray of coffee, pastry, and fruit. "Your clothing was suitable for the cold land of Spielburg. With the heat of the desert, you would soon become ill."  
  
"As long as I'm not freezing my rear off," said Daisuke. He shoved a whole pastry into his mouth.  
  
"No need to worry about that around Shapeir," returned Takeru. "According to Shameen, it doesn't get down lower than 70 degrees at night."  
  
"Fine by me." Everyone glared at Daisuke as crumbs sprayed across the table.  
  
"So what's first thing on our agenda?" asked Ken.  
  
"Let's do a little exploring," suggested Yamato. "Get the lay of the land, so to speak. Maybe find the adventurer's guild."  
  
"The guild is in the Plaza of the Fighter," advised Abdulla. "It is at the western end of town."  
  
"What about a magic shop?" asked Takeru eagerly. Yamato and Ken groaned.  
  
"In the center of town in the Fountain Plaza," returned Abdulla.  
  
"I'm ready whenever you guys are," mumbled Daisuke around a mouth full of food.  
  
"Swallow before you speak," said Ken. "You're grossing everyone out."  
  
Daisuke washed down his food with a few swigs of strong, Shapierian coffee, then stood. "Come on already."  
  
With a wave to Shameen, Shema, and Abdulla, the heroes strode to the door. Outside, the sun was already high above. A few people were out and about. A Kattamon sat with at a flower stand. Another was just outside the door, playing a flute. Across the way Etemon was hawking his wares.  
  
"Today's special, souvenir key chains! Genuine Shapeir brass centime key chains, only one dinar!" called Etemon. He spotted the adventurers at the door of the inn. "Hey fellas! C'mon over here!" Daisuke and Takeru stepped over to the stand. "You boys look new in town. I got everything you need right here. You need maps? I got maps. You need a compass? I got compasses. You need souvenirs of Shapeir for your family and friends? I got the best darned souvenirs in town. Thank you, thank you very much." Etemon struck a strange pose.  
  
"And just how much are your maps?" asked Yamato as he joined the others.  
  
"I got right here a lovely, hand painted map of the complex streets of Shapeir. For ya'll, only one dinar."  
  
"Dinar?" asked Ken.  
  
"Don't tell me you fellas don't know the local money," said Etemon.  
  
"We just arrived last night," returned Takeru.  
  
"Well then ya'll just better get yourselves down to the moneychanger and trade in ya'll's foreign money for the local centimes and dinars," advised Etemon.  
  
"How do we get to the moneychanger?" asked Yamato.  
  
"Son, I'm glad you asked me that." Etemon pulled out a strange stick with a ball at the end, then began singing:  
  
"You gotta go north till you see a left and take it." Etemon wound his arm in a few circles, then pointed left.  
  
"Keep on a' goin' till you see a way right and take it." He circled his arm to point right.  
  
"Go on' a right to the next right and take it. . ."  
  
Ken winced. The directions Etemon were giving would be impossible to follow. He asked a passing guard for directions to the moneychanger.  
  
"And then you just follow the road. You caaaaaaannnnn't miiisssssss iiiiiiiiiiittttt!" ended Etemon, who then took off his scarf and tossed it to the flower seller. "Oh baby!" Takeru, Daisuke, and Yamato stared at Etemon blankly.  
  
"I found better directions," Ken whispered to his friends while Etemon bowed repeatedly.  
  
Nodding his understanding, Yamato said, "Well, thank you for the directions. We'll visit the moneychanger, then see about some maps." Before Etemon could say, or sing, anything else the heroes made a hasty retreat down the street.  
  
Following the directions the guard gave Ken, the group headed west, following street after street until they reached a place labeled "Dinar Tarik."  
  
"Tarik?" asked Daisuke.  
  
"Tarik is the name for street here in Shapeir," explained Ken. "Darb is avenue."  
  
They continued down towards the end of Dinar Tarik. At the very end of the street they found a small alcove. Two oil sconces flanked a large window with a heavy metal grate above it. One of the sconces illuminated a man standing at attention near the window. The scimitar at his side and his wary look showed this was not a man to be trifled with. The other sconce lit up the face of a young woman standing behind the window. A blue chiffon scarf draped under her chin framed her long, wavy, blonde hair. She wore clothing similar to Shema's though of a finer fabric. Gold bracelets adorned her wrists and armbands decorated her upper arms. With her guard present, the woman apparently had no fear of robbery. Her bluish- green eyes quickly appraised the newcomers.  
  
"So, we have some strangers to our fair lands," she said, smiling. "Welcome travelers from afar."  
  
"Umm. . . hi," said Yamato. "We are searching for the moneychanger."  
  
"And so you have found her. I am Jenglory, changer of money for Shapeir. I take your old, worn out foreign money and exchange it for the local currency. Have you something you wish to exchange with me?"  
  
"What is the local coinage?" asked Ken. He noted the crafty look in Jenglory's eyes as she studied the heroes.  
  
"Our gold coin is the dinar, while copper coins are centimes," explained Jenglory. "There are 100 centimes to one dinar. I give the best exchange rate in town."  
  
As each of his comrades exchanged their coins, Ken noticed the percentage rate changed. The moneychanger was a shrewd woman. A thought burned at the back of his head. While the others were counting their coins, Ken went through the rather embarrassing motions of the thief's sign. Jenglory's eyes widened. Ken wasn't surprised to see Jenglory make the countersign.  
  
"So we have a Jackal among the goats then," she whispered. "I am very fond of those in the profession. This may be the start of a beautiful friendship. Come back alone tomorrow evening, if you are interested in doing me a little favor. It could be to our mutual benefit. Be sure you are properly equipped." Nodding, Ken took the dinars in exchange for his Spielburg coins, then turned to his friends.  
  
"Let's head back to the Gate Plaza and get some maps," suggested Takeru. "I wouldn't want to keep wandering around here without one."  
  
"Yeah," agreed Daisuke. "Though I don't know if I want to go back to that Etemon guy."  
  
"Well, thanks Jenglory," said Yamato. "Have a good day."  
  
"Oh, I will," she said. "Come back and see me anytime." She winked at Ken.  
  
"Hey, I think she likes you," said Daisuke as soon as they were around the bend.  
  
"You don't know the half of it," thought Ken.  
  
Retracing their steps brought them back to the Gate Plaza. Etemon was handing a package to a veiled woman. "Thank you, thank you very much," he said, bowing with a flourish. He saw the heroes entering the plaza. "Welcome back. You fellas ready for my next show?"  
  
"Actually," said Takeru, "we wanted to purchase some maps of Shapeir and some compasses."  
  
"I think I can fix you fellas up. Just give me a moment here." Etemon ducked down behind his stand. A few objects went flying. As he rummaged through his inventory, he hummed a little tune. He came back up with his hands full of scrolls. "Here ya'll go. Shapeirian maps and compasses, one dinar a piece. Tell you what. . . I'll even autograph the maps for you!"  
  
"Umm, that's not really necessary. . . ," began Yamato, but he was too late. Etemon signed the backs of each map with a flourish.  
  
"Oh, cool!" said Daisuke. The others winced.  
  
After they handed Etemon two dinars each, he handed them the maps and scrolls. "Thank you, thank you very much," he said.  
  
"Yeah, right. . ." Yamato unrolled his map. "These streets are definitely complex. Good thing we bought some maps." They gathered around and studied the map.  
  
"Abdulla said the Adventurer's Guild is in the Plaza of the Fighters. Why don't we check that out first?" suggested Daisuke.  
  
"Why does it always have to be the Adventurer's Guild first?" grumbled Takeru.  
  
"Tell you what," interjected Yamato. "It's already somewhere around noon. The magic shop is supposed to be in the Fountain Plaza, which looks like it's a straight run. Let's stop there first. If it's not too late when we're finished, we can head over to the Adventurer's Guild."  
  
"Sounds good," said Ken, cutting off Daisuke's protests. "If you look closely, there's little symbols on the map." He pointed to the open eye in the Fountain Plaza zone. "The eye was what Sorcerymon used over his shop, so it's probably the symbol used for magic shops. Near it," he pointed to a picture of a mortar and pestle, "is the symbol for apothecaries. We should check out what kinds of potions are available, since we didn't take anything with us."  
  
Reluctantly Daisuke followed the others down the Junnab Darb towards the Fountain plaza. He perked up when he smelled the scent of lamb cooking. "Oh, that smells good…" Just at the entrance to the plaza, two Kattamon had set up a food stand. A piece of lamb on a spit roasted over open coals. A brazier appeared to be keeping other items warm. As they drew near, they heard one of the Kattamon calling: "Mouth watering lamb falafel."  
  
"Tasty treats to tempt the tongue," called the other Kattamon.  
  
"Dates stuffed with honeyed almonds!"  
  
There was no way Daisuke was going to pass up an opportunity like this. "Hi."  
  
"Greetings travelers from afar," said one of the Kattamon. "I am Floree, and this is Scoree."  
  
"How much for the dates?" asked Daisuke.  
  
"Our dates have been stuffed with toasted almonds, dipped in honey, and slow roasted over the brazier," said Scoree. "It is only 30 centimes for two handfuls."  
  
"I'll take some," returned Daisuke.  
  
While Daisuke bought his snack, Takeru looked around. A Kattamon sat upon a rug with brightly colored earthenware pots. Further down there were more Kattamon basking in the sun while people examined their wares, including brass items, plants, and baskets. In the center of the plaza, a large fountain tinkled merrily. A man filled a waterskin with the crystal clear water. Two doors displayed brightly painted signs, one of a mortar and pestle and one of an eye. The eye appeared to be staring right at him, looking into his mind.  
  
"I think Takeru's found the magic shop," Ken whispered to Yamato. "Hey Daisuke, if you're ready, let's go," he said aloud.  
  
"Okay, but I hope it's not a creepy shop like the one back in Spielburg," said Daisuke.  
  
The Shapeirian magic shop was totally the opposite of the Spielburg shop. Instead of dark and foreboding, the whole shop was light and airy. Someone had painted a sun on the floor and clouds on the ceiling. The shelves were filled with all sorts of novelties, such as hand puppets, baby Antwerp dolls, and magic x-ray glasses. A cloud descended from the ceiling. Sitting in the center of the cloud was a rather extraordinary being, dressed in clown-like clothing. He stood up.  
  
"Nharak sa'id!" he said, bowing with a flourish. "Tip a canoe and how do you do."  
  
"Hello," returned Takeru. "Are you the store owner?"  
  
"That I am. Piedmon is my name. Welcome to my little shop of wonders. Wonder what it is? It's a magic shop of course!"  
  
"Of course," muttered Ken.  
  
"Pleased to meet you and I mean to please you," said Piedmon.  
  
"At least this guy is more cheerful than Sorcerymon," Daisuke whispered to Yamato.  
  
Piedmon fixed his gaze on Takeru. "I see by your aura that you know some magic. You see by my aura that I know some magic. We can see by our auras that we both know magic. I guess that we two must eschew the hoodoo!" Piedmon suddenly burst out laughing.  
  
"I have no idea what he just said," Daisuke muttered to Ken.  
  
"This time you're not alone," Ken returned.  
  
"So, my mystical amigo, have you had any WITty conversations?" asked Piedmon. "Or managed to chant with the enchanter?"  
  
"We just arrived yesterday. I haven't had a chance to really check out the magic scene," admitted Takeru.  
  
"Well then, later on, if you get a chance to ditch the magical duds, come back by and we'll do a bit of chit-chat of our own," said Piedmon.  
  
"Yes, well, we still have several errands to run before sundown," interjected Yamato.  
  
"Did he just insult us?" Daisuke found himself with a warning elbow in the side. "Ow."  
  
"I'll definitely be back by," said Takeru. He added in a low voice, "I'll never hear the end of it."  
  
"Well then," returned Piedmon, "adieu to you. In a while, crocodile."  
  
"Let's go," said Daisuke.  
  
Nodding, Takeru followed the others out of the magic shop. The others would never feel comfortable in such an environment.  
  
"What was all that stuff about auras, and why did he call us duds?" asked Daisuke as the adventurers walked down the Naufara Darb.  
  
"Everyone has some sort of aura," explained Takeru. "Kind of a light that surrounds a person. In your average person it's very dim. . . barely visible to everyone but the highest level magic users. The more mana a person or Digimon has, the stronger their aura is. Wizardmon explained it to me. The 'dud' part was referring to the fact that you guys don't have mana."  
  
"And he can tell from our auras?" asked Ken before Daisuke could say anything else.  
  
"I can't see any aura around anyone," said Daisuke.  
  
"From what I understand, your average person won't be able to see auras. Wizardmon also told me that a strong enough magic user can tone down, or even hide their auras," Takeru continued.  
  
"Can you see your own aura?" asked Yamato.  
  
"A little. It's harder to see your own than someone else's." As they turned down Kital Darb, Takeru tried to tell them what Wizardmon revealed. "Supposedly you can tell a magic user's strength from the intensity and their orientation from the brightness. He warned me to avoid anyone with a very dark aura. Black auras are really dangerous. Wizardmon had this sort of bright, neon purple aura."  
  
"What about that Piedmon guy at the magic shop?" asked Daisuke.  
  
"Sort of a very intense gray, but with weird multicolored sparks floating around. I guess he could go either way very easily."  
  
After a few more turns, they found themselves in another large plaza. To the right a pair of bellows hung over a door. A Kattamon with a clothing stand sat to the left. Just beyond the door another Kattamon sold leather goods. Opposite the entrance to the plaza stood two large wooden doors with "Guild Hall" written in several different languages. Daisuke stepped forward and opened one of the doors.  
  
Beyond the heavy wooden doors was a sparsely decorated room. Instead of suits of armor, a wooden pole carved with faces stood in the corners. Animal skins and plump cushions replaced the typical rugs and chairs. The only real piece of furniture in the room was a wooden table holding the guild logbook and quill. Over the table hung the typical Moosemon head, this one wearing a fez. A plaque beneath it proclaimed it the "Rare Southern Moosemon." One wall displayed a bulletin board and a plaque with the letters EOF. Another held a large, painted shield, tusks from some unknown creature, a bow, and a quiver full of arrows.  
  
A young woman stood in the corner. Her reddish hair was pulled into a spiky pony tail tied with hide strips. She wore some sort of animal skin skirt and halter-top, decorated with a beaded collar. In her arms cooed an infant. Despite the child's presence, this woman was obviously a warrior.  
  
"So, you must be the heroes all the Kattamon have been talking about," she said, sizing up each of them. "Already you are famous among the merchants."  
  
"Really?" asked Daisuke, his expression brightening.  
  
"If you are as good as they say," returned the woman, "then you must be very good. That, however, is to be seen."  
  
"I'm sure they must have exaggerated," said Yamato, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.  
  
"I am Ruki, the guild master," returned the woman by way of introduction. The adventurers introduced themselves. "It is an honor to meet you. This is my son, Simba. I am a warrior of the Simbani tribe from the land known as Tarna."  
  
"So, what do you do here?" asked Yamato, remembering how Gennai spent most of the time polishing his sword and telling stories.  
  
"I work here until Simba is old enough to travel to our homeland. I help new adventurers become acquainted with what to expect in Shapeir as well as teach fighting. Maybe I will help practice your combat skills."  
  
"Great!" exclaimed Daisuke, excited at the prospect of learning more techniques from someone other than Baron von Spielburg's Weapons Master.  
  
Ruki studied them appraisingly. "Perhaps we will test sword against spear," she said. "Or dagger. Though I do not do magic."  
  
"Yes, and I'm sure my brother could use some practice with his dagger," returned Yamato.  
  
"There's something to be said for the proper application of a well placed flame dart," quipped Takeru.  
  
"And what if you encounter a creature that resists magic?" Ruki pointed out. "Or those times when you have used up your magical energies? Good skills with a blade might be the difference between life and death."  
  
"I could probably use a bit of practice with a dagger myself," mused Ken.  
  
"Practice will have to wait until tomorrow," said Yamato. "We did say we'd be back to the inn by sundown."  
  
"Aw man," muttered Daisuke.  
  
"It's not like we're leaving town tomorrow," said Takeru, rolling his eyes. "If you manage to get yourself out of bed a little earlier. . ."  
  
"Hey, we had a long day yesterday!" protested Daisuke.  
  
"Returning in the morning would be better," said Ruki as Simba became restless in his mother's arms. "It is nearly time for me to feed Simba."  
  
"Then we won't keep you," said Yamato. He took Daisuke under one arm.  
  
"But we didn't sign the logbook!"  
  
"In the morning," said Ken firmly, taking Daisuke under the other arm. Together he and Yamato ushered Daisuke out of the Guild Hall.  
  
to be continued  
  
Author's Notes: Yeah, I can just hear everyone wondering about Piedmon. Just something of his general sense of humor made me feel he was the best choice for the role of Keapon Laffin, owner of the magic shop. Why didn't I use the original Japanese name of Piemon? Two reasons. 1, I already started with Wizardmon (who in Japanese is Wizarmon), and 2, I don't want to hear all the complaining of people saying I spelled the name wrong.  
  
Who is the enchanter? Isn't that supposed to be enchantress? I can just hear the QFG fans screaming. This was one of the two hardest roles to fill and frankly, the person who was the best fit wasn't female. It's not a gender critical role, so I felt justified by the change. You'll just have to wait until later to see who's in the part.  
  
The _hardest_ part to fill was the role of Uhura, the guildmaster. Uhura is a gender critical role and a fairly important position to boot. She isn't a major character, but she plays an important part in QFG3. I originally had settled on one of the international DD (Yuehon) because the major females didn't exactly fit the position. Lately, after seeing the changes in Ruki in the later episodes of Tamers, I changed my mind (originally I just couldn't picture her with a child over the first few episodes, but after the Devas, I began to think otherwise). Before the speculation begins about who Simba's father is (and Simba is the name of the child in the game), I will say his father is just an anonymous human living in Shapeir. His father plays no importance in the story (the lack of a father being more important, but that doesn't get discussed until Digiquest for Glory: Wages of War).  
  
As to my other stories. . . "The Doctor and the Debutante" has sort of hit a brick wall, at least until I work out a part I'm working on. I've had an idea for another ATPOV (taking place before episode 50 events) that I'm working on. Most of my time is still being devoted to a long fic that, by the time it's finished, I'm estimating will be near 100 pages. I will _not_ post until it's entirely finished. 


End file.
